Indian Railways is preparing to replace its 40-year-old Passenger Reservation System (PRS) with a new AI-powered system. This upgrade will start in August 2026 to end the problem of server hangs and crashes during ticket booking. Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to ensure a smooth transition without any inconvenience to passengers.
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What changes will passengers see in the new booking system?
The new system is being developed by the Center for Railway Information System (CRIS) using cloud-native technology. It will significantly increase the speed of bookings and handle high traffic during Tatkal hours. The system will be able to manage 2 crore active users at the same time.
| Feature | Current System | New AI System |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Capacity | 25,000 – 32,000 per min | 5 Lakh+ per min |
| Technology | Legacy System | AI & Cloud-Native |
| Waitlist Prediction | Basic | 94% Accuracy |
| Refund Process | Standard | Instant Refund |
| Investment | – | Approx ₹1,000 Crore |
How will AI and Aadhaar help in ticket booking?
The new system will use AI to block bot software used by agents to grab tickets illegally. To make the process transparent, Aadhaar verification will be prioritized for Tatkal bookings. Users without Aadhaar verification might face delays in booking. Additionally, reservation charts will now be ready 8-10 hours before the train departs.
The RailOne Super App, launched in July 2025, is already part of this digital shift. It has over 3.5 crore downloads and processes around 9.29 lakh tickets daily using AI-based prediction features.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the new booking capacity of the upgraded PRS?
The capacity will increase from the current 25,000-32,000 tickets per minute to over 5 lakh tickets per minute.
When will the new system be implemented?
The upgraded Passenger Reservation System will be implemented in a phased manner starting from August 2026.